Flush type door handle



Nov. 16, 1943. c. J. PREPELITZA FLUSH TYPE DOOR HANDLE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 17, 1941 v u l...

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ATTORNEYS Nov. 16, 1943. c. .1. PREPELITZA FLUSH TYPE DOOR HANDLE Filed Oct. 17, 1941 2 S1'1ee1',s-Sheel'l 2 C'lzarles {ZP/epeliza I N VEN TOR.

` AfrpRNsvs With the door Wall 42 by screws 44.

Patented Nov. 16v, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT Y OFFICE 1 FLUSH TYPE Doon HANDLE Charles J. Prepelitza, Milwaukee, Wis. Application October 17, 1941, Serial No. 415,458

4 Claims.

My invention relates to door handles, and has among its objects and advantages the provision of an limproved door handle of the flush type particularly adapted to automotive Vehicle doors indicated by line 4 4 of Figure 3.

In the embodiment selected for illustration, Figure 1v illustrates a yportion l0 of a conventional automobile door. This door is provided with the usual latch bolt I2 and inside door handle I4 operatively connected with the latch bolt l2 through the medium of a linkage I Ii. A spring I8 yieldingly urges the latch bolt l2 to its projected position.

Retraction of the latch bolt is accomplished throughrotation of the handle I4 from a position inside the vehicle, or from an outside position through rotation of a square lock shaft 20, this shaft being provided with a finger 22 engaging the shoulder 24 on the latch bolt.

To the shaft is secured a curved pawl 26 arranged in the path of a cam 28 xedly attached to an outside door handle 30 normally lying flush with the outer face of the door I0. A bearing 32 is formed lon the handle 30 for the reception of a pin 34 carried by ears 36 struck from a base plate 38. A right angle end is formed on the base plate 38 for iixed connection The base plate 38 is also provided with a socket 45 for the cylindrical end 48 of the shaft 20. The outer Wall 50 of the door I0 is provided with a slot V52 for exposing the handle 30, the base plate 38 also having a slot 54 slightly larger than the slot 52. The outer Wall 50 is bent inwardly about the slot 52 to provide a flange 5S, which strengthens the wall about the slot and lends a more iinished appearance to the slot formation.

Means for biasing the handle 30 to its normal position comprises a coiled spring 58 mounted on the pin 34, with one end of the spring engaging the base plate 38 and the other end passed through an opening 60 in the cam 28. An ear 62 is struck from the base plate 38 to provide a. mount for a rubber stop 64 against which the the Y 50'sufliciently far to provide an easy hand rest..

thereonpto complete the `opening movement of the handle. The spring 58 returns the handle Vto its normal position and the rubber stop 64 eliminates rattling under conditions whichmight vibrate the handle. I

A hush handle of the type illustrated nts neatly inside the llange'56 and lies completely llush with the'outer wall 50. Because of the position of the pivot for the handle, thumb pressure on the end 'I0 brings the handle 30 into a grasping Y position so as to eliminate the necessity of forming large recesses and the like in the outer' wall 56. The handle- 30 is neat in appearance 'and may be painted the samecolor as the vehicle. The single base plate 38 serves as a mount for the handle. This base plate may be incorporated in all doors.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate my invention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

l. In an automotive vehicle door having an `edge wall and an outer wall, the combination of a base plate lying against the inner face of said outer Wall and having a flange lying against the innerface of said edge Wall, a latch bolt, a shaft means for retracting the latch bolt through rotation of the shaft means, said outer wall and said base plate each having an opening aligning with the vother opening, a pawl xed to said shaft means, a handle pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said base plate and having a cam engaging said pawl to rotate said shaft means through pivotal movement of said handle, said handle normally lying in the opening in the outer wall flush With the outer face thereof, means biasing said handle to a normally closed position, and an extension on said handle comprising a continuation thereof lying to one side of the pivotal axis of the handle to pivot the handle to a gripping position when said extension is pressed inwardly.

2. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said base plate is provided with ears, said cam lying between said ears'and having an opening, a pin attached to said ears and extending loosely through said opening in the cam to pivotally support the handle, and a Aspring mounted on said pin and connected with said cam to yieldingly support the handle in its normal position.

3. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said base plate is provided with an ear extending partly across the opening in the outer wall, and a cushioning element mounted onvsaid ear.

4. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said outer wall is bent/inwardly of the opening in said base plate.

' CHARLES J. PREPELITZA. 

